Bella's POV
Edward had really came! I wanted to jerk myself up from the floor and run to him but I couldn't see him through the crowd..and the newly formed wall of guards that were surrounding me.
" How will you feel if I kill Bella?", The man said and I knew it was Marcus.
It must have been Amelia who told someone about Aro killing his own sister, Marcus's lover, to keep him from leaving the Volturi. If Aro didn't die, Amelia would be killed. But I didn't really care about any of that. If Marcus was really going to kill me, then I welcomed it. I would finally be free of Aro and at least I would know that Edward had come for me. Edward. Where did he go?
In a flash so fast I was being carried through the crowd. Vampires didn't let their gaze leave my face. One of the guards was carrying me away so fast everything was mostly a blur. No! I wanted to scream. I didn't want to be taken into safety. I wanted Edward. If they find him they will kill him..
"Let me go!", I finally found my voice.
The guard was now carrying me up a flight of stairs and heading to my room. He didn't spare me a glance.
Just as we entered my door way he paused and looked me up and down. He had his hands placed on my shoulders keeping me from sinking to my knees.
"Are you hurt?", he studied me.
I just stood there, taking haggard breaths and not even paying any attention to him. My only focus was on finding Edward. I half expected him to appear in the hallway right about now, kill these guards and take me home unnoticed, but then again this is real life and I never get so lucky.
"Are you hurt?", he said again, shaking me a little.
I let my eyes focus on his face. He had very short Marine style hair and he looked very very tough."Please", it was just a whisper, but I knew he could hear me. "Please let me go."
His hands instantly released me and I fell to the floor just inside my room.
"Stay here.", he commanded.
"No!", I shouted, surprising myself at the strength in my voice. "Don't lock me in here! They will kill him! Please!". It was no use. The guard slammed the door and all I was left with was the sound of my heart beating frantically and my haggard breath.
I wrenched myself from the floor. I was filled with an anger I couldn't describe. I could not sit in this room while they ripped my Edward apart just outside of this castle. I will see his face one more time!
"No!" I shouted one more time as I flung myself to the door. I beat on it until my hands couldn't take it anymore. "Edward!" I continued to shout through my sobs. "Edward I love you."
I let myself sink to the floor, still clinging with both hands on the door knob. I jerked my hands from the door. I had an idea. If Edward had to die, so would I. I looked back at the huge window that claimed the majority of the back wall. How had I not thought of it before? I could break the glass and throw myself from this room. The only reason I didn't before was because there was a chance Edward was coming back, but now that he was down there somewhere, out numbered, I knew he wouldn't survive. The thought of Edward not surviving was enough to drive me insane. And if it would wipe that stupid smile off of Aro's face I would gladly throw myself from this window.
As I got to my feet and slowly began walking to my death I heard the creaking of a door. I whipped my head around to see who was about to stop me from my escape, but no one was there. The door had opened a little.
I hurried to it and poked my head out. I didn't see anyone. That stupid guard didn't lock the door!
Without much of a thought I kicked off my shoes and, grabbing as much of the dress in my hand as possible to keep me from tripping, ran as silent down the hall way as I could.
This might actually work. All of the guards are too busy with the drama down stairs and protecting Aro to think about me. This is my only chance to get out of here.
I continued all the way down the hall until it brought me to the stair well. I didn't have time to consider that there may be a vampire at the bottom. I sprinted down the stairs only tripping three times. When I reached the bottom I saw an old door off to the side and another flight of stairs leading downward. I couldn't end up back in the ballroom. I reached for the handle of the old door. It was wooden and really old. I had to ram my body against it as I pulled at the knob and when it opened it made a weird screeching sound and the scent of dust and dirt filled the air around me. I didn't have time to be afraid of dark mysterious places, so I ran into the room and shut the door behind me.
There were no lights. I felt for the wall and kept my hands there until my feet felt more stairs and I rushed down them into more of the darkness. To my surprise the stairs kept turning, creating a spiral that lead deeper and deeper into the dark, but fear was behind me. I was furious. I would see Edward before they killed him and then I would follow him shortly. I would tell him that everything was okay and I would tell him that I wanted to marry him. I broke loose a sob at the thought of never being able to do that and willed myself to go faster.
When I reached the bottom I knew I was in a basement. The wall that my hands were on was made of bricks and I couldn't figure out why the felt moist. The room smelt old and dirty, but I didn't care. I squinted my eyes through the darkness and saw a dim light coming from a small window on the wall farthest from me. I pushed my way through the furniture and other junk that crowded the basement. I nearly screamed when I ran into a figure, but calmed myself when I realized it was just a statue.
When I reached the window I noticed it wasn't very big. I felt around on the floor until my hand rested on a loose brick and without another thought I smashed it against the glass. The sound stung my ears and I had this desperate feeling to get out of this castle. I had been wrong when I thought that fear was behind me. It was like a black cloud that clung to my body, pushing me forward.
The only sound in the basement was my hard, fast breathing and the little tinks the glass would make as it hit the floor. There could be a vampire down here and I wouldn't even know it, but if he was smart he wouldn't kill me.
When I had gotten as much of the glass out of the window I reached my hands through and felt the cool dirt in between my fingers. The window was too high for me to lift myself up. I found a big box a couple feet away and pushed it will all the reserves of strength in my body until it rested under the window. I climbed on the box and put my arms through the window trying to pull myself through.
I had the majority of my torso out of the basement, but my back rested agianst the base of the window pain and the remaining shards of glass ripped through the dress and cut my back and sides and I couldn't help but gasp in pain. When I finally pulled myself through the window I could feel the stinging cuts that were scattered all around my back and waist and the dress was ripped, leaving evidence of my escape behind.
I wanted to collapse on the ground, but I couldn't. I was so tired, but I had to find him. I had to get out of here.
Once I got to my feet I instantly knew where I was. I was in the Garden of Good and Evil. Before, this place had looked sort of magical, but now lit only by the pale moon light I sensed nothing but evil in this place.
This sick feeling came over me and goose bumps rose on the back of my neck making me take off running in the direction of nowhere, just trying to escape. The wind had picked up, making the stems of the weeping willow trees whip around frantically, as if they were trying to keep me from passing through them.
That's when I heard the laughter.
I immediately stopped, whirled myself behind one of the huge trees, and cupped my hand over my mouth trying to quiet my heavy breathing. As if he didn't hear me already. I knew the smell of my blood and the noise of my racing heart had given me away, but I hoped Edward would be the one to find me here.
I peeked my head around the big tree trunk and my eyes landed on this tall, dark figure standing in front of the window I had just crawled through. He was holding a piece of cloth, that must of been from my dress, up to his nose while he kept up the sadistic laugh.
"You can run, but you can't hide", his voice sounded playful, but reminded me a lot of James that night I had met him at the ballet studio. But Edward had been there to save me that night. Maybe he would save me again, but I knew he couldn't. He was out numbered.
I watched him until he was silent, then he began walking very slowly in my direction. I was almost to terrified to move, but everything inside of me was screaming at me to run. I took a deep breath, pushed hard against the tree bark, and took off running towards the tall hedge wall as fast as I could. When I reached the wall I paused for half a second to notice he was still a good ways behind me, but walking at that steady, slow speed.
I pulled off my elbow length gloves, preparing to climb and stopped short when I noticed the engagement ring on my finger. I jerked it off and threw it in the direction of the unfamiliar vampire and resumed my escape. The hedge was filled with little thorns and I gasped in pain and panted as I climbed to the top, but I didn't care. I clung to them, ripping cuts all along my palms, and knowing how it must smell to my stalker only made me climb faster. Once I reached the top and saw what was on the other side I felt the urge to scream.
I looked out over the open space in front of me where the ground was covered with ancient looking tomb stones lasting at least a half a mile long. There were a few more of the creepy old Oak trees, but scattered all around the tomb stones were Ravens that were black as night. They made these awful screeching noises at me, as if I were an intruder. I took a deep breath and let loose my grip, sliding my body down the side of the hedge and into the graveyard. A big thorn caught my chest and I let loose a small scream as it made a deep line of scarlet right across my cleavage.
As soon as my feet touched the ground I took off running as fast as I could. I kept turning my head to look behind me, but he wasn't there. The ravens were screeching louder and louder and flying close over my head. The sound of their flapping wings made me want to cringe away from them and hurl myself into the fetal position on the mossy ground.
I finally stopped to catch my breath, wondering why my follower wasn't behind me. There was suddenly a whooshing sound and I had to wipe my hair from my face. When I turned around he was right in my face, teeth barred as if he were ready to attack. I screamed so loud, all the ravens went crazy flapping their wings and cawing, but in another flash he was gone again. He was playing with me. The sound of his laughter returned and I took off running through the graveyard.
"Edward!", I screamed as loud as I could as I dodged the head stones. If he was anywhere near the castle he would surely hear me. "Edward! Help me!"
I only realized I had been crying the whole time when my vision became too blurry. A black raven flew up from behind me diverting me from my path and causing me to trip over a broken head stone. I fell, hitting my four head on the cement of one of the head stones, and almost blacking out I rolled on my back to try to get up but I couldn't make myself move. I was breathing so hard my throat felt raw and my vision was now blurred from the sharp pain that filled my entire head.
I looked up to see the figure standing over me. I wanted to scream. To get up and run. Anything. But all I could do was look up at him and wait for him to kill me.
"Well done, boy", This taller figure stepped into my view, placing his hand on my stalker's shoulder.
My stalker nodded to him and disappeared. I looked at this man with horror, but I couldn't find my voice.
"Edward...please", I rasped as my eyelids fought to stay open.
The man bent down and his huge hand grasped my neck jerking me all the way off the ground and releasing a horrible, ear piercing shriek from my mouth. My hands clamped around the one he had placed around my neck while I gasped and tried, uselessly, to pull myself free.
He wasn't squeezing me, but I gasped and coughed as I tried to breath, but failed. He held me up to eye level with him, while I still uselessly fought, and I saw those familiar red eyes. It was Marcus. He had this hard look on his face. His teeth were barred as if he were about to rip into my flesh. The graveyard went silent as my vision started to blur around the edges. The only sound was my grunts and gasps as my weak body stopped struggling and my arms fell limp hanging by my sides.
"NO!", I heard a man scream. "Marcus don't do this! I can explain'
While my body hung limp from the embrace of Marcus's hand around my neck I recognized the, now desperate, voice of Aro.
"I can explain everything, just put Bella down", he continued to try to reason with Marcus.
"I will rip out your heart as you did mine, then I will make you watch as I kill her.", His voice was so close, but he sounded so distant. I didn't even comprehend what he was saying.
I gasped as all of the air re interred my lungs as Marcus's hand released my neck and fell to the ground. I cupped my hands around my neck while I lay limp on the ground focusing only on catching my breath.
It was like every nerve in my body reacted to his touch. His cold hands placed themselves on the back of my neck and on the small of my back to pull me off the ground. I fought with myself to open my eyes to see Edward's face.
"Bella? Bella, can you hear me?", he sounded very angry. "Listen to me! Don't close your eyes Bella, please", his voice broke as if he were crying.
"Please..", I rasped a bare whisper. I wanted to say more. I wanted to tell him I loved him and I didn't care if I was about to die, just as long as his face could be the last thing I see, but I was slipping from consciousness. I couldn't hold on any longer.
"...here.", he whispered to me through gritted teeth and I let go, falling into nothing but blackness and the embrace of Edward's arms.
That was the "to be continued" part. The next chapter will be in Edward's p.o.v:) Please review! A little twist in the story is going to come out of what happends next.